No team stumbles into the Super Bowl. They've fought, clawed and in many cases for the Seattle Seahawks, dominated en route. Still, for every team, there are critical moments that can turn a season around.

Here are the 10 that thrust Seattle into a 2014 Super Bowl matchup with the Denver Broncos on Feb. 2 in the Meadowlands.

Forced fumble locks up season opener

Week 1, at Panthers

The Seahawks were leading 12-7 with just over five minutes left against the Panthers, but Carolina was driving. DeAngelo Williams shook free on a run inside the 10, but Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman went high-low on him, knocked the ball loose, and the Seahawks recovered it at the 8. Similar scenes would occur often the next 18 weeks.

Pick of Colin Kaepernick sends an early message

Week 2, vs. 49ers

In a then-scoreless game in the ear-splitting din in Seattle, the 49ers had marched to the 5 in the first quarter. Wallace Thurmond deflected Kaepernick’s pass to Vernon Davis at the goal line, and Thomas picked it off. It was the 49ers’ last threat; Seattle won 29-3. Foreshadowing?

Shoeless Sherman’s pick-six

Week 4, at Texans

The Texans were one first-down conversion away from wrapping up a win in regulation, and Matt Schaub couldn’t pull it off. Sherman stepped in front of Schaub’s pass, sprinted 58 yards, lost his shoe along the way, and tied the game at 20. The Seahawks won 23-20 in overtime.

Goal-line stand

Week 8, at Rams

The Seahawks’ offense was absent more than usual in St. Louis that Monday night, and the Rams were in position to make them pay for it. They had first-and-goal from the 6 and, eventually, third-and-goal at the 1 in the final minute. Then Daryl Richardson got stuffed for no gain, and Thurmond came in untouched on a corner blitz, and Brandon Browner got a hand on the pass to Brian Quick in the end zone, and the game was over.

Golden rescue

Week 9, vs. Buccaneers

The winless Bucs led 21-0 at halftime and, late in the third quarter, were still hanging on 24-14. Golden Tate seemed to have brainlocked by catching a punt at his own 3—but then sprinted, weaved and broke at least four tackles on a 71-yard return to the Tampa Bay 26. The Seahawks got a field goal out of it, tied the game in the final two minutes, and won in overtime 27-24.

An unforgettable return

Week 11, vs. Vikings

Percy Harvin’s long-delayed Seahawks debut was against his former team. He had to talk Pete Carroll into letting him return kicks. He knew what he was doing—his explosive 58-yard kickoff return late in the first half reminded everybody of what he could do when he was healthy. It was his only regular-season game; Seattle won 41-20.

The test was a Brees

Week 13, vs. Saints

The winner of this December Monday night showdown would have the inside track on home-field advantage in the playoffs. It was no contest, thanks largely to Cliff Avril’s first-quarter strip-sack on Drew Brees, forcing a fumble that Michael Bennett caught in midair and returned 22 yards for a touchdown. That put Seattle ahead 10-0; the final was 34-7.

Beast Mode Quake II

NFC playoffs, vs. Saints

It didn’t pack the punch, or register on the Richter scale, the way his run against the Saints three years earlier had. But when Marshawn Lynch rumbled against the same team—with nasty stiff-arms and power moves, he still moved the earth.

Free play

NFC championship, vs. 49ers

So much drama leading up to it—Steven Hauschka hesitating to go in for a long field goal on fourth down, the offense staying in, the 49ers jumping offside, Russell Wilson going for it all instead of just for the first down—and it all paled in comparison to Wilson’s perfect throw to Jermaine Kearse for the go-ahead 35-yard touchdown.

'Best corner in the game'

NFC championship, vs. 49ers

The surest way to silence a big-talker, not to mention one of the noisiest crowds in football history? Complete a game-winning touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree in the final seconds. The 49ers couldn’t do it … because of Sherman.